Living Slow in Italy - Dreams Do Come True

Valerie Schneider

We are moving to Italy. I have repeated that statement countless times
over the last few months as we have made the announcement to family, friends
and acquaintances. No matter how many times I utter the phrase it never seems
routine and never fails to make me feel a little giddy. We are moving to Italy.

Which just goes to show that dreams can come true. We started imagining
what it would be like to live overseas several years and several (slow) trips
ago. We decided, finally, after much thought and debating and waffling, to
follow the old ad slogan and "just do it". Why? Why not! Life is short. Let's
live it while we have breath and energy.

It just seemed like a good time. We decided that the fear of change was
far outweighed by the fear of complacency. We didn't want to put off the living
part of "making a living" until it seemed that we were - to quote Joe Dominguez
in his book Your Money or Your Life - "making a dying" instead. "These hours
are all you've got. There is nothing in your life that is more valuable than
your time, the moments you have left. You cannot put too much awareness and
intention into the way you invest those moments" So we've decided to take
some of these precious moments of our lives and invest them in this dream.

Why Italy? We became enamored on our first trip. By the third visit, we
returned home and quickly started to long for the piazzas where people gathered;
evening strolls where the entire town turns out to flood the streets in a
nightly parade of interaction; leisurely meals prepared with fresh, seasonal
ingredients. A sense of community. The beautiful rhythms of life being carried
on from time immemorial, still a part of daily Italian culture. So many aspects
of our own culture began to seem so gaudy, new, shallow, homogenized ... fake.
We decided we'd like to experience this historical and beautiful land while
it still retains these cultural elements we so admire.

We love the solidly-built stone houses. Buildings that are centuries old
being lived in and oozing charm. Heavy wooden shutters on the windows. Kitchens
with fireplaces for roasting meats. Colorful weekly markets that roll into
town with arrays of fresh produce and other goods. People who know how to
enjoy the simple pleasures of life and place heavy emphasis on human relationships.
Stunning and awe-inspiring art and architecture at nearly every turn. Picturesque
vineyards and olive groves providing healthful harvests. Millennia of history
to explore and study. A musical-sounding language to learn. Real cappuccino,
not the overly-milky, $3.00 a cup insipid, burned-tasting stuff passed off
as "cappuccino" here. These are among the reasons we want to move.

We're not retired. And we're not independently wealthy. Just a couple of
average middle-class Americans who decided to cash in by selling our house
and using a portion of the funds to spend a year (or more) in bella Italia.

This decision drew some interesting reactions. Most said, "good for you,
be happy." Others seemed almost angry. One relation called to say we shouldn't
rush into things or run away from responsibility, as if we'd just woke up
one morning and said, "golly, let's move to Italy." He continued to offer
helpful advice, saying we shouldn't waste our retirement fund on this endeavor.
We're adventurous, not moronic! Our retirement accounts are safe. We set aside
half the proceeds of our home sale for our eventual return to the U.S., which
will provide us with ample funds to re-establish ourselves when the time comes.
The rest of the money will allow us to spend at least a year abroad and cover
all our necessities. Because we can live frugally, we are confident we'll
realistically have enough for two years' living expenses. It also helps that
friends in Rome generously offered us the use of their summer home in Anzio
rent-free for several months. It will be a tough assignment, but we'll pass
the summer months leisurely one block from the Mediterranean in a pretty cottage.

We've spent the past six months navigating the murky waters of bureaucracy,
figuring out how to apply for an extended-stay visa and all the accompanying
paperwork involved in that. Now that it's mostly complete, we can turn our
attention toward the anticipation and planning for our arrival in Rome in
April. We can look at webcams and sigh contentedly, knowing we'll be there
soon.

What will we do there is the question we are asked most often. Because
we can't legally work in Italy, there seems to be concern that we'll be idle
and bored. Not on your life! Our full-time occupation will be learning Italian.
I'll indulge my great love of history and enjoy the company of my true love,
Bryan, unencumbered by stressful work situations. Make friends and renew old
friendships. Observe cultural differences and place ourselves into the local
rhythm of life. Shop in the local produce and fish markets. Write. Eat. Study.
Stroll. Learn. Love. Live.

That is the sum of our dream. We are pursuing it now because we don't want
to look back with regret, to wonder "what if" or "if only..." No, that's not
for us.

Is it all going to be beautiful and fulfilling? I honestly don't know.
But I can't wait to find out.

Valerie Schneider is a freelance writer, who lived in New Mexico for twenty years before trading the high desert for the medieval hill towns of Italy in May, 2006. She is a regular contributor to Slow Travel, pens travel agency newsletters, and has written for Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel. She and her husband, Bryan, currently reside in Ascoli Piceno where they conduct small-group tours called Panorama Italy. Read more on her blog, 2 Baci in a Pinon Tree. See Valerie's Slow Travel Member page.